Moralia in Job 1145

V. 24. — Remember that you know not his work, of which men have sung. Angels and teachers, even though they praise these things, yet by no means fully know them. In Sacred Scripture 'men' sometimes signifies angels, sometimes men of perfect life. For that a man is sometimes called an angel, the prophet Daniel attests, saying: Behold the man Gabriel (Dan. 9:21). Again, that by the name of 'men' those of perfect life are expressed, in Proverbs Wisdom speaks, saying: O men, to you I cry aloud (Prov. 8:4). Concerning the Lord, then, men sing when either the celestial spirits or all perfect teachers make known his power.

Yet his work is not known, because indeed his judgments are venerated as impenetrable even by those who preach him. They know, therefore, whom they preach, and yet they do not know his works, because they recognize through grace him by whom they were made, but they cannot comprehend his judgments, which are wrought by him even upon themselves. For that Almighty God is not clearly beheld in his action, the Psalmist attests, saying: Who has made darkness his hiding-place (Ps. 17:12). And again: Your judgments are a great deep (Ps. 35:7). And again: The deep like a garment is his covering (Ps. 103:6). Whence also it is well said through Solomon:

As you know not what is the way of the spirit, nor by what reasoning the bones are joined together in the womb of a woman with child, so you know not the works of God, who is the maker of all (Eccles. 11:5). An example of God's hidden judgments in little ones dying without baptism, or after baptism. — For, to speak of one out of many, two little ones come to this light, but to one it is granted to come back to redemption through baptism, while the other is snatched away before the regenerating water can wash him. And often the son of the faithful is taken away without faith, often the child of the unfaithful is renewed by the sacrament of faith bestowed. But perhaps someone may say that God knew this one would act wickedly even after baptism, and therefore did not bring him to the grace of baptism.

But if it is so, then without doubt the sins of some are punished before they are committed. And who, thinking rightly of this, would say that Almighty God, who frees some from crimes already committed, condemns these same things in others even before they are committed? His judgments, then, are hidden; and by so great an obscurity as they cannot be beheld, by so great a humility ought they to be venerated. Let him therefore say: Remember that you know not his work, of which men have sung. As if he plainly said: The works of him of whom the strong have spoken are hidden from the eyes of your mind, because you pass beyond the measure of your knowledge by the very fact that you are circumscribed by your humanity. There follows: